The Highwayman
by Faine Lange
Summary: Ino is the innocent innkeeper's daughter. Gaara is the sly highwayman. They're together in what you call a "secret romance." But can it last?


**The Highwayman**

**A/N:** Hello~! ^_^ Another oneshot for me. This fanfic is based on the poem, "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. I really liked this poem and I just suddenly decided to write a fanfic based on this.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto nor "The Highwayman."

The powerful wind whipped Ino Yamanaka's blonde hair wildly around her face. Ino was the oh-so-innocent daughter of Inoichi Yamanaka who owned the Yamanaka Inn. It was a cold winter night in England. She stared through her room window at the dark and gloomy sky that was threatening to pour down. Ino sighed, just about to give hope until she noticed him. He was here! He had come like he promised! Ino ran out of her room in the inn and raced to the trotting horse that approached her. But her mind was focused on the person _on_ the horse rather than the horse itself.

"You're here, Gaara! I thought that you wouldn't be able to come tonight, what with all the horrible weather going on lately," cried Ino with a mix of happiness and worry in her voice.

"Of course I'd come tonight. I promised you, and I never break a promise to you," the red haired man said. "Unfortunately, I can't stay long. I must go quickly. I promise you, Ino, tomorrow I will return with more time for us."

Gaara, who was holding Ino's delicate hands, gently let go. He gave her a quick kiss and rode away before Ino could say anything else.

"Gaara, come back safe," Ino whispered to herself as she watched his figure disappear.

_What the hell is going on with those two? Who does he think he is to kiss my love? What the fuck is he thinking? He's a freaking criminal, the Queen's most wanted! And what do I see? Ino, the innocent innkeeper's daughter, having a rendezvous with Gaara, the Queen's most wanted? Was the girl out of her mind! No, impossible, she couldn't be! It must have been him! He must have somehow tricked her! That deceitful bastard! I'll see to it that he'll be captured! That way, she'll be safe, and she'll fall in love with me for saving her. I've got to get in contact with Naruto right now!_ Poor Shikamaru, the stable worker, had overheard everything. He was hopelessly in love with Ino, hoping one day, she'll turn to him. Why not, after all, since she considered him a very good friend?

Shikamaru scrambled his way back to the stable. He searched for something to write on and with. Eventually, he had found all he needed and written his urgent message. But at the bottom, he had forged the name _Inoichi Yamanaka_.

Shikamaru sealed the envelope, which the letter was in and took Betsy, his most trusted horse with him. He rode off in the dark as fast as he could, heading towards the Queen's palace.

It had begun to rain, but the stable boy rode on with all his might. After what seemed like days of riding, he had arrived at the one place he needed to be. Jumping off his horse, he caught a glimpse of Naruto, one of the noblest knights of the Queen's.

"Naruto!" Shikamaru shouted.

Lucky for Shikamaru, the knucklehead knight had heard him. Naruto looked over to him and waved, whiling coming closer to the guarded gates to allow the poor boy's entrance.

After Naruto allowed for the entrance, Shikamaru panted, but managed to say, "Nar-Nar-Naruto, this is an emergency letter from Inoichi Yamanaka. He has given me orders as to tell you to give this to Queen Tsunade."

Naruto nodded and waved the restless stable boy off. Naruto then proceeded to head to the Queen. When he gave the letter to the Queen, she read it thoroughly and sent Naruto and Sasuke to the Yamanaka Inn. They were ordered to find a way to take care of the highwayman that has been terrorizing the roads and robbing the people.

"How are we going to capture the highwayman?" asked Naruto as the two knights were riding on their horses to their destination.

"Isn't it obvious, dobe? We use the innkeeper's daughter, who is the highwayman's lover, as bait. After we have the highwayman, we can let his lover go," Sasuke explained smoothly.

"Ah, I see. Okay then, come on! Let's ride faster! We got to be there before tomorrow!" Naruto exclaimed, suddenly full of joy.

The next morning, Ino was helping out her dad by doing some chores that needed to be done. As Ino was helping out in the stable with Shikamaru, Naruto and Sasuke arrived at the inn. They jumped off their horses and entered the hotel, looking for the owner.

Sasuke approached the front desk and asked, "Excuse me, are you Inoichi Yamanaka?"

"Err, yes. And may I ask who are you?" Inoichi gave in reply.

"I am Sasuke, and this Naruto. Is your daughter here?"

"Um…yeah. Just let me call her. Ino! There are two people here who want to see you!" Inoichi yelled out, a little unsure.

Ino came in through the door and said, "Hey, Daddy. Who's here's to see me?"

Inoichi looked over to where the two knights stood. Ino got the picture and walked over to them before Inoichi could say anymore.

"Um… you guys wanted to see me?" Ino questioned.

"Come with us," Sasuke said.

Sasuke and Naruto walked out of the inn. Ino followed silently, wondering what they would want with her.

When they were outside, and were sure no one was around, Sasuke and Naruto quickly tied and gagged Ino. Ino tried to scream, but she was too late. Then, Sasuke took out a gun. Ino's eyes widened in fear. Fortunately, all he did was tie the gun to her body, pointing right at her heart.

"Now be a dear and keep quite. All we're going to do is capture your little thief. But don't worry, he won't be harmed…yet," Sasuke told her.

Naruto then picked her up and placed her behind the long bushes surrounding the inn. After making sure, Ino wasn't able to run away, Naruto and Sasuke hid themselves elsewhere.

Ino's heart was racing. She suddenly heard the sounds of a horse trotting along the road. It was Gaara! She knew it had to be. She could recognize his horse's trot. _Please Gaara, don't come any closer! I don't want you hurt!_ Ino couldn't think of anything to warn him with. Immediately, she got an idea. She looked at the gun tied to her. Ino managed to reach the gun with her arm. She slowly pulled the trigger and it fired. It made a loud bang. It had shot Ino's heart. _Do you hear this Gaara? It's a warning, run back, please… I love you… _and so, Ino took her last breath and closed her eyes.

Meanwhile, Gaara, who was riding along the hill, heard the loud sound. Realizing it was a gunshot; Gaara turned the other way and quickly rode away. _It was a gunshot, and coming from the inn too! I hope you're all right Ino! You've got be!_ Gaara thought to himself as he was swiftly leaving the grounds of the inn.

The next day, Gaara was just waking up from where he was sleeping. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, but he was suddenly alert when he saw the words "Innkeeper's daughter of Yamanaka Inn." Gaara rapidly got up from where he was to get a closer look at the words he spotted from a ripped up newspaper article. He skimmed through it. _What! Ino's dead?!?! This can't be! Impossible_! _I refuse to believe this garbage! But… the gunshot is proof of this. _Gaara was now full of rage and sorrow at the same time.

That night, Gaara returned to the inn. He was planning to find out what happened. As he was riding towards the inn, his head was full of thoughts on his dead lover. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts; he didn't notice the two men who had flung themselves in front of the highwayman, each with a gun. The two men, were, in fact Naruto and Sasuke. Not knowing they were there, the knights took advantage of Gaara.

Both of them pulled the trigger.

And it hit him. Perfectly.

The highwayman was dead.

* * *

_It was a cold winter night in England. She stared through her room window at the dark and gloomy sky that was threatening to pour down. Ino sighed, just about to give hope until she noticed him. He was here! He had come back like he had promised! They were once again united, and never did they part._

* * *

**A/N: **Err...so how was it? And please don't hate me for making some of the characters like Shikamaru the "bad guys" in this story. I don't hate them and I just put them into the story because I thought it would be nice to include them in it. Also, in the last paragraph, they're not alive if you didn't get it. The last paragraph in italics is actually the two of them as ghosts and they're being united. So, please review~! ^_^


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